Turfgrass Science News

Any investment in quality continuing education opportunities benefits employees and employers alike. The 2018 Great Lakes School of Turfgrass Science Online is designed to help meet the continuing education needs of any individual or organization. This 12-week program, set for January 2 – March 23, 2018, will have training sessions accessible live online on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7pm (Central Standard Time) and the option to view the recorded sessions.

Here is an updated version of a blog post that was originally published on November 15, 2013. Turf Extension Educator Sam Bauer has been interviewed about this topic in several great articles since then so be sure to check out the links at the end of the blog post!

By Sam Bauer

Are you looking to avoid the leaf raking process this weekend? The real answer to the above question is NO, but it comes with one catch.

Turf Extension Educator Sam Bauer was featured in a Star Tribune article summarizing some “eye-opening” results of a recent survey of Twin Cities residents on lawn irrigation. The survey, conducted by University of Minnesota researchers and the Metropolitan Council, found many homeowners are not managing their irrigation systems effectively, leading to overwatering of lawns.

The optimal lawn seeding window is mid-August to mid-September. If you missed that time frame, but you still want to seed this fall, my recommendation is to wait until November to seed. This practice is called dormant seeding and is certainly an effective way to introduce new species and/or varieties of turf into your existing lawn.

A University research team led by Professor Eric Watkins is working to promote healthy roadside turfgrass. The current issue of Catalyst from the Center for Transportation Studies has an article that describes the project.

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What is Turfgrass Science?

The University of Minnesota's Turfgrass Science Program conducts field-based research and offers education and consultation to both commercial turfgrass managers and homeowners caring for their yards. Want to search our site? Click here.